Movable sluice-box.



/NVEN TQR PATENTED DEC. 22', 1903.

H/ ATTOHNE Y6.

El QE? Q H EV FEL/X FRA/vo/J MQIWIIH u ulivi, l

.P. PRANQOIS. MOVABLE SLUIGE'BOX, APPLICATION -FILED MAE. 11, 1903. HO- MODEL.

THE Nonms PETERS co. Pnomuma. WASHINGTDN. l:4 c,

NITED STATES Patented December 22, 1903.

FELIX ERANoIs,y on sT. ETIENNE, FRANCE.

MOVABLE SLUICE-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming'vpart of Letters Patent No. 747,692, dated December 22', 1903. Application filed March 1l, 1903,. Serial No. 147,291. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, FELIX FRANoIs, a citizen' of theRepublic of France, residing-at St. Etienne, France,vhaveinvented Improvements in Movable Sluice-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved sluice-box or ore-separator, and has for its object to provide one in which the auriferous earth may have the precious metal efficiently separated from it and classified.

In the accompanying drawings, Figurel is a sectional side elevation on line a: y, Fig. 2; and Fig. 2 is a plan View.

The cradle a of my apparatus is composed of the usual side and end walls and of a number of bottom sections b. x Each of these sections has a portion of its su rface nearly horizontal, with a forward inclined plane portion ending abruptly in a nearly-upright portion f, thus forming a trough g; An opening is.

made in the bottom of this trough and closed with a plug la. A base-frame c is provided for the cradle, and from the sides of the base elastic bladesof wood or metal support the cradle. These elastic blades are preferably inclined, as shown in Fig. l. A crank or eccentric shaft l and rod m with the driving and fly wheels n serve to give the cradle'a reciprocating motion, at the same time elevatingand lowering it to some extent at each reciprocation.

At the discharge end of the cradle Iplace a lter h for the passage of the finer heavy particles andwater and an overiiow-pipe j of considerable area to allow light ymaterial toplaced in the troughs.

In operation the plugs la are inserted, the earth to be washed supplied at one end, and water supplied in theordinary manner. Motion is also imparted to the cradle and the heavier metals caught in the troughs, while the light particles (those that iloat) and small pebbles will on account of the peculiar motion be thrown up onto the next horizontal section until they at last reach the sieve h,.

through which they will pass if small enough, to. be collected and again put through the cradle. The lighter particles are lifted into and ilow out the overflow j.

By removing the plugs lc and stopping the machine the materials in each trough maybe dumped into the chamber c of the base, the plugs again inserted, and the operation again begun.

I claim as my inventionl. An ore-separator,'comprising a rectangular cradle having lsections of its bottom carrying bars for breaking up the earth, intermedi-ate rectangular slanting sections lead` ing from one section and connected abruptly with the next, and means for oscillating said cradle and elevating it in a horizontal plane, during oscillation,substantially as described.

2. An ore-separator, comprising a rectangular cradle having sections of its bottom carrying bars for breaking up the earth, intermediate rectangularslantingsections leading from onefs'ection and connected abruptly with the next and means for oscillating said .cradle and elevating it inla horizontal plane during oscillation,` in4 combination with a sieve h at the discharge end of the cradle, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

. FELIX FRANQOIS. Witnesses: s

PIERRE GARARD', FRANoIs TARET. 

